On Thursday, 23rd July, 2015, Damen Shipyards Galati in Romania launched a subsea support vessel by name Maersk Connector. Developed by Damen Shipyards Group, the so called Offshore carrier 8500, is the second of the next generation cable laying vessels. The vessel is owned and operated by Maersk Supply Service and it has a seven year charter agreement with DeepOcean.
Highlights:
- Equipped with survey and trenching capabilities, the DeepOcean will have an extended market in cable laying.
- Represents a new focus on the interconnector projects in addition to the oil & gas and renewable works.
- The vessel is well suited for the remote geographical areas like North Sea.
- It is developed as a flexible platform, well suited for installation and burial projects from landfall to deep water.
Features of Offshore Carrier 8500:
- The vessel is 138 meters long
- The beam is 27.5 meters long
- Unobstructed deck size is 2200 square meters in area
- The vessel has a loading capacity of 20t/m2
- The vessel is equipped with Ro-Ro capability
- The vessel can travel at a speed up to 12 Knots.
The sea trials are expected by the end of this year, the vessel is now berthed at Damen Shipyards Galati. Installations are underway on the helideck, crane, bridge and fitting out of interiors as well.
